All posts filed under: travel blog

Originally posted on Reverse Retrograde: Many tourists come to Iceland with the goal of ‘doing the Ring Road.’ They want to drive around Route 1 all the way, starting and ending in Reykjavik. Unfortunately for many of them, this does not include the Westfjords. The place is remote, and even some Icelanders have not visited. The upper lefthand corner of Iceland holds its own ‘ring road,’ a network of highways, tunnels, and gravel that makes a full loop if driven from Búðardalur. We went North on the first day, ending up in Súðavík. On the we stayed there two nights, and then moved on through to Þingeyri . On the last day we drove to Bjarkarholt Guesthouse, which isn’t even on Google’s maps most of the time. We completed the loop the next day, 1300km later. The Road Less Taken is one of my favorite poems, and one which I used this year to say ‘bye-bye’ to my Chinese students. It makes a lot of sense in terms of my life and how I choose to travel, but also in…

Originally posted on The Finicky Cynic: Hey, there! Welcome back to the second installment of my travels during this February vacation! After an awesome (and also alcohol-filled) weekend in Bordeaux (liked that alliteration that I did there?) 😉 it was time for me to leave and head on to other wonderful destinations in Europe. My next stop was an afternoon in Pau, a smaller city located about two hours from Bordeaux, near the border of France and Spain. I had chosen to pass through this place, just because I knew two people who had studied there and have heard good things about it. Was glad that I went, because it was gorgeous. Took a BlaBlaCar there from Bordeaux (*side note: my driver was female and incredibly cute). 😉 Arrived there close to noon, and unfortunately to bad weather; I didn’t know that rain could be so vicious, even in southwest France! I waited in the train station for the rain to at least lighten up before I went exploring- after all, I only had a few…

Originally posted on The Picky Eater Travels: Travel Bucket List #2 Next on my travel bucket list is Victoria Falls in Namibia, Africa. What makes this place extra special besides being massive, at 5,604 feet wide, and 354 feet tall, is that there a spot in the falls called Devil’s Pool, where you can actually swim up to the edge looking over the falls. September- December is the best time to go, when the river flow and current are at a low level, and the rock barrier forms an eddy to help keep you from falling off the cliff. It is recommended though that you have someone hold you by the legs when you are taking a picture of your body somewhat over the cliff, as there have been some accidents where people have slipped off the rocks and fell off the cliff, but if you do your research and follow safety. I think this is one of those experiences where you are truly going to regret it if you don’t do it at least…

Originally posted on Heart of a Traveller: Taken at: Casa Milà, Barcelona, Spain, 2015. I’ve been looking back at photo’s from my recent summer vacation (in an attempt to escape the current cold winter reality) and stumbled across this one taken in Barcelona. This photo is taken from the courtyard of Gaudí’s Casa Milà, an architectural masterpiece. You would probably recognize the building from it’s extravagant outside and rooftop, but I was really draw to the structure of the building. I loved playing with perspective and angles in this photograph, and I’m pretty happy in how it turned out. Hoije ❤

Originally posted on travelux: The Nai Harn Phuket is the ideal combination of the beauty of nature and the vivid life of Phuket. Set in one of the nicest areas of Thailand, the luxury resort offers privacy on the highest level and some of the nicest beaches in the whole world. Yet, the location is just one good argument for The Nai Harn Phuket, which has brand new rooms and comes with a truly amazing design. After an 18-month long renovation, The Nai Harn Phuket opened its doors again just a few weeks ago. Guests of the luxury resort now can enjoy one of the best locations on the dream island with more modern and stylish rooms than ever before. Bay (Image Source: The Nai Harn Phuket / lhw.com) Far away from the touristic crowds, guests of The Nai Harn Phuket can enjoy true relaxation at one of the amazing beaches, the hotel’s pools or in the Spa. With the new rooms looking more stunning than ever before, it may also be an idea to…

Originally posted on travelux: Madrid is the capital of Spain and not only a popular touristic destination, but also important when it comes to business purposes. Especially the Town Hall and Palacio Real are impressive, but the city has a lot to offer in general. Our city review shows you what we discovered in Madrid! First, our way led us past the National Museum and National Library. The National Library of Spain was founded in 1712 and is thus older than 300 years! Strolling through alleys One very special thing about Madrid is that there are huge streets as well as very small alleys. Strolling around in Madrid, we were able to watch incredible architecture which is mostly historic. Congress of Deputies Madrid One example for that is the building which houses the Congress of Deputies! Botanical Garden Madrid Honestly, I’m not quite sure why we invested the small extra fee to be able to access the Botanical Garden Madrid in December as it was just winter and thus, not much could be seen. Apart…

Originally posted on The Wanderlust Times: Struggling to decide where to go next or where to pop on your never ending bucket list? Then here are some places that deserve some attention this year. 2016 is set to be a big year for many countries across the globe with world events such as the Olympic Games, new and exciting infrastructure being built and special anniversaries to be celebrated. Here, I’ve listed the ‘go-to’ places for the coming year and why this year will be a special time to visit them. Havana, Cuba Source Traveling to Cuba – especially to the capital of Havana – is like stepping back in time. Old architecture, antique looking shops, colourful homes and classic cars from the 50’s make this city rare and unique. Thanks to the tumultuous relationship between Cuba and the USA, Cuba has yet to be introduced to much Americanisation, keeping its unique culture very much alive. Since the countries have since restored ties in 2015 that is likely to change, so get there quick while it’s still stuck in a time warp.…

Originally posted on travelux: Cape Town is big, Cape Town is colorful, Cape Town is buzzing and the question is rather what to do not in Cape Town than what to do there at all. The second biggest city of South Africa after Johannesburg has a rich history which has influenced Cape Town ever since. As there are so many lovely things to do and see, what to do and see best in Cape Town? Get up early for Table Mountain Table Mountain is one of the most popular and outstanding landmarks of Cape Town. Not any surprisingly, everyone visiting Cape Town wants to get up that mountain. The thing is just that there is often fog so that you cannot enjoy great views. Plus, it appears to happen that you have to wait incredibly long for a ride, even two hours + in low season! So, if you really want to get up there, get up early – the sky is usually clearer then. Moreover, waiting hours can be less. And no, having bought…

Originally posted on Little Brantley Abroad: Today marks my last day in Bondi Beach before I head home for the holidays. I don’t know how, but from the moment I arrived, this beach town felt like home to me. Yes, it is a beautiful beach with attractive Aussie men running around 😉 but there is so much more to it. The people here are so kind and filled with great energy, anything you need is just a few steps away, and it has provided me with more incredible sunsets than I could have ever imagined. If you have a trip to Sydney planned, don’t miss out on a day in this spectacular place. Here’s how to have the perfect day in Bondi: Breakfast in Bondi: The restaurants in Bondi are so good that I will be posting a full article about all the delicious places to get brekkie, but for the sake of this post, I would recommend Speedos Cafe! Not only is their food amazing to photograph, it’s also delicious. (Below are their cronuts and pink…

Originally posted on Annabel Fenwick Elliott: Ice vistas galore – booked through the absolutely brilliant Ambercrombie + Kent and operated by Polar Latitudes Antarctica. The only place left on the planet reserved, under an international treaty, for science and exploration only. A utopia of sorts. And, after 28 years of travel, hands down the location of my all-time favourite trip ever. I went expecting to be the only person under 40 – a situation my travel agency had prepared me for – and so I packed plenty of books, a stockpile of patience, and boarded the ship eagerly anticipating some solo time with the icebergs. Utopia Little did I know that by some strange stroke of luck, I would share my 10-day voyage almost surgically attached to a gaggle of four fellow lone travellers, all American males, all in their 20s, for almost every waking hour. The combination of these humans, plus the hugely entertaining expedition crew, plus the penguins, plus the seals, plus all the ill-advised but well-received booze, plus the total detachment from the…